SPRING is a season of flowers. Do you plan to go on an outing to see them in the countryside? Hurry up.Blooming(开花的) flowers won't wait. They bloom and thenwither(凋谢). This is especially true ofcherry blossoms(樱花).

Cherry blossom: a Japanese passion

WHENEVER people think about Japan, cherry blossoms come to mind. The flower has become a symbol of the country.

The blossoming begins in January in the southern part of Japan. At the end of March or the beginning of April it reaches the central part of the country. The blossom arrives in the northernmost parts a few weeks later.

The Japanese pay close attention to news of the blooming. They go to parks andtemples(寺庙) with family and friends and hold a "flower viewing party". The party celebrates the beauty of the flower. The custom dates back to the 3rd century.

When the flower is in full blossom, families and workmates gather under the trees. They sing, drink, eat and talk until late in the evening.

For Japanese people, the cherry blossom is a symbol of the shortness of life. They compare the flower to the life of asamurai(日本武士) – a shortexplosion(爆发) of color, bright for just a short time.

Yoshizawa Riri, 18, Beijing

I didn't leave Japan until I was 8. The first day I went to school, I saw pink and white cherry blossoms all around the buildings. I left the country before I graduated from primary school. But I know that when they graduate, students plant a cherry blossom tree together. It means they want their friendship to last forever.

Pink and white in Washington D.C.

JAPAN is not the only place that celebrates the beauty of cherry blossoms. Washington D. C. does so too.

Every year, the city hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It lasts from March 31 until April 15.

After the opening ceremony (仪式) there are all kinds of activities and cultural events. Every day there aresushi(寿司) /sake(清酒) celebrations, classes about cherry blossoms, and bicycle tours of the areas in bloom. Art shows are an important part of the festival. There are many different kinds: photography,sculpture(雕塑), and cultural performances. You can also see fashion shows, dance, singing and a kungfu shows.

The Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run is held as part of the festival on the first Sunday in April. On the last Saturday, there is a parade like a Japanese street festival. Fromsumo(相扑) to sake, visitors can see Japanese culture in all its variety.

Helen Smith, 17, the US

I've got a cherry blossom tree right by my bedroom window. That means there's no danger of me missing their blooming. I invite my friends around and we enjoy the flowers together.

Enjoying the flowers in China

YOU don't have to travel to Japan or the United States to enjoy cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom first grew in theHimalayas(喜马拉雅山脉) and in East Asian. Some say that the Chinese grew cherry blossom trees long before the Japanese.

In China, there are many places to get a good view of the flower. The Cherry Blossom Park on East Lake in Wuhan is the most well-known.

The park is the third largest cherry blossom park in the world, after Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Park in Japan and the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. of the United States. More than 5,000 cherry trees are grown in the park.

In flowering time, visitors take along food and hold a picnic under the tree. Some shoot films of the blossoming trees.

Besides Wuhan, there are other places in China where you can enjoy cherry blossom. Two are: Yuyuantan Park in Beijing and Cherry Blossom Avenue in Nanjing.

Li Yuan, 13, Beijing

"You can't move easily in the parks in spring because there are so many people there to see the blossoms. Everyone is trying to get close to the trees. It seems there are white and pink clouds as far as the eye can see."

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Your turn: DIY

Every month of the year has a special flower. Find out at about one flower for each month and write a short introduction to it. Turn your findings into a flower calendar.

Some flower facts

When do cherry blossoms bloom? It depends on the weather and on the kind of blossom. In Washington D.C. in the US, the date when they are at their best can be different from year to year. The weather plays a role in it. It can be as early as March 15 (1990) and as late as April 18 (1958). The blooming time can last up to 14 days. The average date of blooming is around April 4.
Japan's most popular cherry blossom is the Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are a nearlypure(纯粹的) white, with a little light pink, especially near thestem(茎). So the trees look white from top tobottom(底部). The flowers bloom, and usually fall within a week, before the leaves come out.